Catherine Kalaitis

I guess so. Yeah, that's right. We won. But, you know, I think it's really interesting that you have a country that was, you know, oftentimes hostile towards Catholics, right?

People forget this. When Kennedy was running for president, his Catholicism was a genuine issue.

People forget this. When Kennedy was running for president, his Catholicism was a genuine issue.

People forget this. When Kennedy was running for president, his Catholicism was a genuine issue.

And Catholics were accused of dual loyalty because of the Pope. You know, it was a real problem if your kid came home and wanted to marry a Catholic and all these things. That has largely disappeared, in no small part because of the alliance between conservative Catholics and American evangelicals, right? Catholics were brought into the mainstream that way.

And Catholics were accused of dual loyalty because of the Pope. You know, it was a real problem if your kid came home and wanted to marry a Catholic and all these things. That has largely disappeared, in no small part because of the alliance between conservative Catholics and American evangelicals, right? Catholics were brought into the mainstream that way.

And Catholics were accused of dual loyalty because of the Pope. You know, it was a real problem if your kid came home and wanted to marry a Catholic and all these things. That has largely disappeared, in no small part because of the alliance between conservative Catholics and American evangelicals, right? Catholics were brought into the mainstream that way.

Yeah. So there has been, both to the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, this influx of largely politically conservative, largely white converts. Right. who were either from non-religious backgrounds, but largely from these conservative Protestant backgrounds that convert, even evangelical backgrounds, that convert to the Catholic Church.

Yeah. So there has been, both to the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, this influx of largely politically conservative, largely white converts. Right. who were either from non-religious backgrounds, but largely from these conservative Protestant backgrounds that convert, even evangelical backgrounds, that convert to the Catholic Church.

Yeah. So there has been, both to the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, this influx of largely politically conservative, largely white converts. Right. who were either from non-religious backgrounds, but largely from these conservative Protestant backgrounds that convert, even evangelical backgrounds, that convert to the Catholic Church.

The most famous example in America today is the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance.

The most famous example in America today is the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance.

The most famous example in America today is the Vice President of the United States, J.D. Vance.

And probably, you know, their Catholicism is likely very different than the Catholicism you knew growing up.

And probably, you know, their Catholicism is likely very different than the Catholicism you knew growing up.

And probably, you know, their Catholicism is likely very different than the Catholicism you knew growing up.

If you grow up a Catholic in America or anywhere, you're embedded in this cultural context that the church is part of. And while you might sort of learn your catechism as you prepare for your first communion or for your confirmation, you're not experiencing Catholic theology in a vacuum.

If you grow up a Catholic in America or anywhere, you're embedded in this cultural context that the church is part of. And while you might sort of learn your catechism as you prepare for your first communion or for your confirmation, you're not experiencing Catholic theology in a vacuum.

If you grow up a Catholic in America or anywhere, you're embedded in this cultural context that the church is part of. And while you might sort of learn your catechism as you prepare for your first communion or for your confirmation, you're not experiencing Catholic theology in a vacuum.

And you're not coming to Catholic theology looking for a justification for your oftentimes very traditional worldview that has been created and that you're reacting to within the context of American cultural politics. I think that is the core difference. These are people who come to Catholicism looking for a certain paradigm that is